Evading the Uni-boob... Plus-size swimwear reviews.

Post Sauna at the gym. I am a happy, hot, sweaty mess with eye makeup, everywhere!

I swim a lot. I am a member of a gym here in the UK which has a pool, and I swim in that pool. A lot.

The gym also has a sauna and sweat room - which I also use. A lot.

Each of these regimes require swimsuits.

For me - it means DIFFERENT swimsuits. When I swim at the gym, I am exercising. I require a higher necklined swimsuit that makes me feel supported and confident. No matter what we do in life, we need to feel confident. It helps. The gym is no different and for me, having a swimsuit that is the right shape and support for exercise is very important.

Now, on the days I just go and use the sauna or steam room - again, I have to feel confident. For me, simply using the Sauna is like a post work-out luxury. It is leisure. Pure and simple. I like to wear a different suit for that: a little lower cut, a little cuter.

What I am trying to say, is that in everything we do - we need to feel as confident as we can... This is AS TRUE at a swimming pool as it would be if I were to go on holiday to a resort or even to my old friend Bondi Beach in Sydney.

I have been so frustrated by swimsuits this year... I need support. I rock a MASSIVE pair of breasts, that simply can not do with a simple "size 20" swimsuit. I need cup size and (preferably) underwire. It sounds so simple... right?

It isn't.

For example, I bought and RETURNED this swimsuit, "SEVILLE" by Fantasie (above)... It HAD underwire, but NO cup support. Gorgeous and sized exactly for my back and cup - but completely frustrating.

So ultimately, this year, I have tried a BUNCH of suits. I have finally found two... THAT WILL DO. Neither are phenomenal. BUT each will do their job. These suits are from Evans.

Reviews...

BERRY HALTER SWIMSUIT - Size 20 (F-G Cup) £15.00 (ON SALE).

This is a beautifully coloured suit. Lovely. The underwire and cups feel strong and the support looks good on the hanger. However, I bought and returned this swimsuit. Why? The halter neck. Seriously - what a bad choice. With no actual PROPER shoulder straps, there is no momentum to pull up and maintain the swimsuit when you first get it on. I can not speak for girls with a smaller chest - but in the F-G cup sizing, the swimsuit just feels barely there, once you get it on. Indeed, as I struggled to get the halter done up, I just felt so uncomfortable. I WISH this suit had been designed with over-shoulder strap support. Likewise, I LOVE the Evans bikinis and wish that they had made them as tankinis or used them as a guide for the swimsuits in a heavier cup. This IS a really cute suit, but for me as a size F-G Cup, I knew I would not feel secure in the top half of the suit, and so - returned it.

For those of you who are curious though - this did feel a little like saucy underwear... but you can get better versions at Simply Be - via Gok Wan and the Curve Controller. Maybe I should wear THAT to the gym. Va Va Voom!


The Crossover Tankini Top and Briefs - Size 20 (F-G Cup) £34 (COMBINED PRICE)

This is my swimming/excercise suit... I admit it. I was completely skeptical about this suit. I thought that the "support shelf" and "padded cup" would never support me adequately, but it does okay. I feel comfortable, I feel like my heavy breasts don't drop in the suit, my breasts are identifiable as two entities (avoiding the Uni-Boob shape my previous suit was giving me) and the suit itself feels pretty comfy. I DO wish this came with an underwire, however, it doesn't. In a way -  I have had to empower myself NOT to rely on underwire. The suit is tight enough and has a degree of support which DOES do the job. Not perfectly - but okay. And ultimately - right now, because I like swimming and want to swim - this suit will do. I bought the Tankini with the swimming briefs and wish (on swimming a few times) I had sized down in the brief. They fit okay, but I would have liked them a bit snugger.

The brief sits high around my waist - which is good for confidence (in that they hold bellies in!) and comfort. The tankini covers the pant and I feel kind of snug in the suit. It is like a cute, tight little pair of shorts and a top. Not great, but not bad either. I have not had a chance to take shots in this suit as I am usually shattered by the time I finish my laps!

The Spot Control Swimsuit - Size 20 (F-G Cup) £20 (ON SALE).

All these photos were taken in a gym change room. A communal gym change-room isn't the most appropriate place to take a photo - hence, I am in LIMITED space for full shots. BUT - you get the drift!

Talk about your cute little suits. I LOVE this. LOVE it. It is a little bit retro, a little bit babe. It is perfect for a beach or a little cute leaisure time in the sauna or spa. I like the lowish cut leg, that I can adjust slightly. I like the high banded line under my breasts, which helps create waist emphasis and shape. I like that the suit makes me look like a little cutey and that despite it showing a little belly bump - it does do it's best to shape me in - and control my gut...

As for support - well, honestly?

ARGH!!!!

I can not stand the cups on this suit... or the absolute lack of support. Seriously. When I wore this suit for the first time, I noticed spill around the sides of my breasts OUT of the cups. The banded waist tries hard, as do the cups, but really support is NOMINAL and the drop my breast experiences is significant AND makes my cleavage gape a little on the Tori Spelling side of life (bless her, I actually LOVE her). I am an F cup. This is designed for an F-G cup...

Wait, here is a blurry Blackberry photo...

Blurry? Sure. But, what - it looks okay? My boobs look supported and my cleavage looks good? Yeah. It does.

But, Emma, you just mentioned a severe LACK of support, so how can this be? Well...

I am wearing a BRA with this suit. Not one of my awesome every day bras. But an old Simone Perele Plunge bra (which caters to plus size backs and boobies), that had the underwire pop on it. So simple.

Now. Perhaps, you might think I am vain for popping in a little extra support to make myself look super awesome. Sure I am - a little. But I am also aware of what makes me feel good and confident. To be honest, I accept all my chubbier bits but I don't find much comfort in going braless, I actually feel a real NEED for support, so for me - a swimsuit without support will never do. My natural body and the incidental cleavage drop due to the size of my breasts IS okay and I can waltz about naked, at home, with the best of them... but really, even for comfort, my girls need a little lift. My boobies are heavy. This swimsuit is gorgeous, but disappointingly - even though "catering" to an F-G cup - it doesn't really do the job. A simple, wireless bra which is a little bit old and therby a little free and easy has done the job for me here.

The next swimsuit I have ordered to try is also from Evans - The Twist Control Swimsuit... so I will keep you posted on that. EDIT: Thanks to the comment by ANONYMOUS below, I have also just ordered the Anna Swimsuit by Panache too...

I hope this post helps some of you make some swimsuit choices. My best support from all these suits came from the tankini - and conceding that fact, considering it has no underwire, is relatively startling to me. My favourite suit, the one photographed, I had to pop a wee bra in - to help myself feel comfort and support. This isn't so much about wearing a swimsuit and feeling empowered, so much as finding something you can feel confident and comfortable in. Once you get that - empowerment will come.

Loves. x.

Evans Dress Reviews & Change Room Post

For the first time in AGES, I made it into an Evans and into a change room. My time was limited, but my choices were spot on...

Now, instead of going for the brands being carried by Evans (Lovedrobe, Ruby Rocks) I have picked up Evans own wear... Let's take a look!

SLEEVELESS TILE PRINT TOP - £35.00 (Size 20).

You can see the tile print of this top/dress is just a delight.

I have noticed lately that Evans is really embracing prints with a lot of orange involved and I like this. I think that orange is often a relatively unloved and certainly underused colour, often in favour of pinks, purples and reds - so in the post I will showcase a little orange for you. I think for my olive skin and brown hair - it is a colour that really pops.

I really love this dress. It is so simple and suprisingly roomie. I have often posted about frustrations with Evans as regards sizing, but I found the 20s I tried on, as well as the 18-20 multi-sizing that Evans is using, fit really well. This is so pleasing. Some of you will recall frustrations I've had where putting on a size 16 has been necessary to fit into an Evans garment. I don't feel flattered when that happens - more frustrated by poor sizing.

When I popped this dress on, I did have a moment's worry that it might not fit my hips - but it does. It actually feels a little snugger in the hips than it does around my chest or stomach, but I like this. I like the fact that this dress offers shape without being structured. Lately, I have been wearing more floaty garments and this dress felt a little floaty... It's also a dress that you could throw on without too much regard for foundation wear - sure, a good bra and comfy pair of undies is always important, but this dress, in skimming the body nicely - without being clingy around the chest and stomach, means you can go out without worrying about sillohette or line.

This dress feels like it would be effortless and beautiful. What a great shape.

I tried two Maxis in Evans.

BLACK SPOTTED RUCHED DRESS - £20.00 SALE PRICE (Size 18/20)

On putting this Maxi on - I didn't like this dress on me. I put it on and loved the print and detailing across the bust (smocking?) but I didn't like the shape.

This dress immediately made me feel like my hips started right below my breasts and my initial response was absolute dislike. Then I thought some more. This does look okay on me. I also think this would be a phenomenal dress on girls with heavier waists or rounder bottoms than mine. Another cool thing about this dress is how much you can adjust the straps on the garment. I have a massive pair of boobies, but girls with smaller sizing would also rock this JUST as well. The very nature of the elastic style smocking across the bust allows the WEARER to define figure and shape. It is very clever. I would love to hear from anyone who might own this? I would love to see how you style it too.

Ultimately - for me, this is not a MAXI to love... I think it comes down to form, maybe it's as simple as me not being used to wearing this shape.

Meanwhile...

FLORAL PRINTED MAXI DRESS - £49.50  (Size 18/20)

OMG. LOVE this.

This dress is amazing. I think Evans thought, who should we make this for and decided -

Boombands Em.

Yes.

I LOVE this dress. I love the colour and print. I like the shape emphasis, the detailing around the breast, the light, beautiful fabric and the subtle sexiness of this garment. I put this on and just felt feminine and gorgeous. I LOVE this. Way to NAIL a Maxi, Evans.

This dress skims my shape. It was not clingy and it fits like a dream. Va Va Voom.

What else can I say?

I guess I can admit that I didn't buy this INSTORE as I know I can get this much cheaper online. How? Sales. Evans is going crazy for sales at the moment, and at a cost price of over £40.00, I should (at the least) be able to find a 20% code for this. I MOSTLY shop online. I know the tricks. Seriously ladies. You gotta love the tricks.

SLEEVELESS MONO SPOT SHIFT TOP - £35.00 (Size 20)

The One I bought.

This is shaped very similarly to the first dress I reviewed and is the one I am wearing in the video above.

I love this. I LOVE polka dots and this one is differently presented but still very gorgeous. As I mentioned above, this is the kind of dress I can throw on, with little thought, and go out feeling effortlessly dressed but knowing I look really gorgeous.

As with the Tile Print Dress (above), this garment has a little room for me in the chest and waist, but is drawn in at the hips, offering little cling but a good shape. This dress isn't lined (I wish all dresses are lined), but is light - so will offer a good option for Summer wear. I like it. I feel pretty and confident in it...

Now, the dress DOES have tiny pockets at the front, which are almost entirely useless, but add a cute, subtle feature. I had to sew up the side of one of my pockets when I got home - but I think this was more an anomaly than anything wrong with the craftmanship of the dress.

Love it...

Now with all these dresses I am wearing a pair of Evans Leggings and Evans Cardigan. These are two clothing staples for me and I love them.

Smooches. x.

Link Love for June

Image comprised of TWO pieces of link love from Curious Fancy and Curvy Girl Chic.

I have been offline a bit lately. I have been around, just not blogging. My work is like crazy town and I am about to jump onto my third film in three months... This one is a keeper though and I will be on it until Christmas (at least). This should mean more stability, so more time to blog. I hope so. I am missing you and I am missing blogging. Incidentally, if you guys want something to see this coming month, Captain America, which I spent a lot of last year working on is due for release soon. Honestly?  This film is a lot of fun - I would love to hear if some of you do go see it. x.

This post is to shower some love. While I am a little away - let's look at what my fierce, fellow bloggers are doing. I have divided Link Love this week into Three Little Parts...

1. Bloggers Looking Good - Block Colours & Sexy Stripes:

• Curvy Girl Chic: You look Like Summer. This post is gorgeous and Allison, certainly looks like summer. I could have sworn she was wearing a dress in this post it looks so beautifully and seamlessly put together.

• Fashion Hayley: Parting Ways. Wow. Fashion Hayley always looks good and in this post one simple hair change nails this post. She looks flipping gorgeous.  

• Blog To Be Alive: My take on Prada S/S 2011... Val had he own baby blog hiatus this last month and she has come back looking colourful and gorgeous. This post is a reminder why Val has blogged successfully for FIVE years.

• Buttons, Bows and Brogues: In this very moment, I'm King. Stephanie was one of the first bloggers I ever really bonded with and this post is so simply done, but looks stunning. 

• Curious Fancy: Rainy Days. I just don't believe she takes a bad photo. ZOUNDS.

• Fat Aus: Lazy Winter Days. No Block Colour. No Stripes. But heck, she looks good.

2. Bloggers From the Heart:

• ByAnika: A love letter to personal bloggers. Anika always makes my heart leap and this post should touch yours too. Anika LOVES us.

• Return to Sender: A Quiet Mind. Sarah has been through a lot this last year. I love her heart and soul, ever present in this post. Comfortable in her skin, but not in her mind. Sarah, you have my heart. x.

• Blogging For Joy: How do you compare? This post hit a chord with me when it went up 20 days ago. I love it so much, I have to include it here in case you missed it. 

3. Bloggers Doing it For Themselves:

• reizende Rundungen: First Dress. I love that following a simple internet tutorial can help someone make a dress. Katrin makes the outcome look so good, I might have to try this.

• Cupcake's Clothes: Lolita Strawberry. This posts SHOCKED me. Seriously. Not only does she look amazing  - she made the dress herself. WOW.

• Frocks & Frou Frou DIY 2B (or not to be). From the mismatched (matching) shoes to the DIY instructions for this Pencil Scarf, I LOVE this and Lilli looks so cute!

Lastly, I want to share the love for one of my fellow bloggers over on the City Chic site. I have popped this at the end, lest I get accused of being a little bias. You see, I would include Hope's personal blog - if she had one. She does not. Hope is ten years younger than me, but both of us blog for City Chic. She and I went to a photoshoot in Australia back in February and picked the same outfit to wear. Hope is creative and interesting and gorgeous. Hope's posts for City Chic focus on music and fashion. Her posts featuring fashion inspiration drawn from Lady Gaga, Pink and Rihanna and lately Hope has been interviewing curvy, inspiring women from within the Australian music industry... Am I bias? Maybe. But Hope's posts are great. She has very little self promotion going on, because she doesn't have her own blog. I love her posts so want to promote them - please - Take a look.

Smooches and see you soon. x.



PS - If I have missed your favourite link, let me know... but please don't just post your site link and say "link to me" because this just ain't what "link love" is supposed to be about! 

Apple Mac Virus Warning and Screengrabs.

Hey loves - This post is completely unrelated to anything to do with my blog... however, as I get thousands of you clicking in each month I wanted to share my latest experience with a piece of possible Mac Malware. I seem (hope) to have avoided this little piece of crap but thought I might help you to, too...

Click on the images to get a higher resolution via my web photo host and be careful. My blog will be as normal, next time I post. x.

If you get this warning... be very careful:

The warning comes up over this screen:

If you try to force quit this warning (with such delightful grammar and spelling errors) then appears:

However, if you click the original OKAY button... you go through to this screen:

And then the computer AUTOMATICALLY starts downloading software:

Which is where I halted the process. 

Now - these error messages are full of grammatical errors and you can see in the last image - the "viruses" and "Trojans" I apparently have on my computer causing problems include .exe files. PC files. As in... BOLLOCKS.

I would never usually post this type of thing to my Ultra hip, Totally sassy, Sexy fashion based blog - BUT when I found myself in this trap, I googled for more info and got none.

Remember. DON'T allow downloads UNLESS you activate them, this virus didn't ask for my password - it was smart enough to bypass that... Don't be afraid to force quit and NEVER give your credit card details to sites that are randomly offering to rid you of viruses... They are usually the culprits.

I got to this virus through clicking a GOOGLE search result. The page redirected to a virus.

Blargh!

And again, sweet loves - apologies for the misplaced post. This is my one little corner of the web and with so little info on these viruses, I had to share.